1. Field
The following description relates to an apparatus and method for compensating for hearing loss, and to an apparatus and method for compensating for a distortion, caused by a change in a sound transmission path, by using a 3-dimensional (3D) equal loudness contour.
2. Description of Related Art
A patient with hearing loss may be unable to hear portions of surrounding sound that a person with normal hearing would be able to hear. A hearing loss compensation apparatus compensates for parts of surrounding sound that a hearing loss patient cannot hear and provides the compensated sound to the hearing loss patient, so that the hearing loss patient may normally perceive the sound.
However, since the hearing loss compensation apparatus is worn on an ear of the hearing loss patient, the sound transmission path from a sound generation place to an eardrum may be changed. For example, such a hearing loss compensation apparatus may move around with respect to its position relative to the eardrum. When such a change occurs, the sound to be heard by the hearing loss patient may be distorted due to effects resulting from the changes in position of the apparatus. Therefore, it may be difficult for the hearing loss patient to identify a direction of sound.